miles to go before i sleep
by LowkeyLyesmiths
Summary: AU. Robin survives the battle at Nottingham and lives on as Robin Hood, defying Prince John. Unbeknownst to him though not everyone died in the explosion, Vaisey and Isabella survived too and they're preparing for revenge, starting with Guy. Robin/Kate, future Guy/Robin (maybe)
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **so I was going through my old laptop and I found a bunch of old Robin Hood fics because I was, you know, cool. So here! I'm uploading them all (slowly) It'd be great if I could get some feedback ~ you know, just so I know if there's anyone out there still reading this stuff! Sorry if there are any formatting issues or spelling errors, this is unbeta'd and copied over from my ipad so idk.

Anyway, this'll get slashy because I basically ship Guy/Happiness and since Allan is dead... this is AU evidently and it'll get dark. Real dark. So grab a torch and a safety blanket!

Also I'm a lit student not a history student so sorry for any historical inaccuracies (not that Robin Hood was very historical accurate) and i havent seen the show in a while so sorry if there are any details I get wrong.

* * *

_The woods are lovely, dark and deep. _

_But I have promises to keep, _

_And miles to go before I sleep, _

_And miles to go before I sleep._

* * *

He comes to her at night, sneaks in to Locksley Manor an stands over like some demon drawn up from the depths of hell. Her hand goes immediately to the blade under her pillow but he giggles - the kind of giggle that chills her to the core - and suddenly there's a sword to her throat.

"You're much better prepared than your brother, aren't you?" The Sheriff (_ex-_sheriff her mind corrects) says, using the blade to turn her head slightly. "Not as pretty though."

Something inside her trembles at the undercurrent of his words. "You're dead," she says as steadily as possible.

He grins, there's a glint of gold in his smile. "Didn't stick, sweetheart."

She quirks an eyebrow, breathing steady now. If he'd wanted her dead she would be by now, he wants something and Isabella would be lying if she said she wasn't interested. "Evidently."

"I hear your brother escaped," he says, his sword gently running down the length of her throat. "A pity."

"It was all down to Hood," she snarls at the memory. She had been_ so close_.

"Yes, yes, my man told me _everything, _believe me, dear. Now, the thing is your dearest brother did something very _unkind _to me and I would very much like to make him _pay._"

_No, _Isabella thinks. _No. _He's hers. Hers to kill. He sold her to a sadist knowing full well what he'd do to her, her own _brother. _Her only family. Vaisey must see a flicker of this in her eyes because he smirks. "Oh, of course I understand that you will be the one to end his miserable existence and I wouldn't miss that for the world. All I ask is that you give me the opportunity to make him _scream _a while before you do that."

Isabella cocks her head. "I'm listening."

"_Excellent,_" he purrs. "Now, here's the plan..."

* * *

Robin watches the smoke billow out across the forest from Nottingham, well from where the remnants of Nottingham stand. He's fairly sure the explosion took out the entirety of the castle and probably most of the upper town. Prince John is going to be _pissed._ Then again he thinks even the king is going to be a little upset that they've blown up one of his fair country's cities.

He can hear the low rumble of voices, the villagers and citizens of Nottingham are celebrating in Locksley. His beloved Locksley. He should probably be down there with them, at least making an effort. He rubs absently at the cut on his neck, Isabella must have lied about the poison because he's still alive and kicking. (_Allan isn't, Gisborne isn't) _it doesn't feel right. They've killed the Sheriff, Isabella. They've saved the town by destroying it.

It's a hollow victory, their glorious final stand, but he supposes it will do. Tomorrow he'll go back to being Robin Hood, he and Much and Kate and John and Archer (if he doesn't change his mind and run out on them again) will start rebuilding Nottingham until Prince John arrives of course. Then they'll have to work on getting King Richard free - if that's even true. He really hopes it isn't.

For now he's content to sit atop this hill and watch the city burn.

He's pulled out if brooding by Tuck dropping himself down to crouch beside him. "How's your neck?" The friar asks, reaching out to check the bandage.

"Fine," Robin grumbles, leaning away from Tuck's outstretched hand.

Tuck drops his hand and cocks his head, "You know there was nothing you could have done to change what happened today. Allan's death was not your fault." Sometimes Robin hates that Tuck is so astute.

"But it _is," _he says, tearing up a patch of grass. "If we'd just _believed _him..." If he'd been with them, if they hadn't left him there for Vaisey. _Bloody Vaisey. _And now their true betrayer, Robin's own brother, celebrated with the others down the hill.

"You weren't to know Isabella had lied. None of us believed him. In fact it would have been irresponsible to allow him to accompany us without knowing for sure." Tuck says firmly. "And who's to say that he wouldn't have fallen in the battle anyway?"

"Yeah but..."

"You were a soldier, yes? You know better than most that in battle we must sometimes make hard decisions, you must have lost men before."

Robin flinches slightly at the sudden onslaught of memories,_ sand and swords and arrows and blood. _He twists out another clump of grass and shreds it slowly. "They're not soldiers." He grits out.

Tuck smiles in that sad, wise way of his. "But we are, Robin. We're fighting a war against Prince John, for England, for the people. We all followed you knowing full well that we might not survive. Allan would not want you to blame yourself."

Actually, Robin reflects, Allan probably _would_. If he'd survived he'd be guilt tripping _everyone._ Robin smiles a little at that thought, tries to hide it from Tuck. "It's not just Allan." He says tiredly.

"Gisborne?"

"Yeah."

Tuck makes a sympathetic noise. "A few months ago you would have celebrated his death." He says calmly.

Robin blanches. It sounds so _cold _laid out like that. But Gisborne killed Marian, killed countless others. The man deserved death and there were times, _so many _times when he wanted to kill the man himself. But he wouldn't have _celebrated. _(At least he hopes he wouldn't.) He sighs. "Maybe I would have."

"What changed? Just because you share a brother doesn't wipe his slate clean."

"I know," Robin mutters. "I guess I just never thought of him as a human being before. I never thought - He died protecting _me._" He's told Tuck all about what happened when he was a kid, what happened when he met his father again (he hadn't wanted to - he hadn't even told Much all of it - but Tuck just had this _way _about him.)

"Well then, at least he died for something good."

"I should have done better by him. When he left Locksley, I should have... Stood up for him or something." He thinks back to that night with the arrow, Gisborne could have hung that day at fifteen for something Robin had done. Thinks back to Guy and Isabella, heads bowed, traipsing out of the village, their home.

"What could you have done?" Tuck asks. "You were just a boy, you'd just lost your father, you had bigger things to worry about."

"I know but..."

"Robin," Tuck says kindly. "You could spend an age thinking about what you could have done and it would destroy you. You told me once that Gisborne blamed himself for the death of his parents and of your father. Do you not think that had some effect on the person he grew up to be?" Tuck put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "When we met you thought your life had ended because of your grief, your loss and he did to. Yet look at what you accomplished by move ping forwards. Do not let your grief define you Robin, you are still needed here. We all lost Allan too, you're not alone."

It shouldn't make him feel better but it does because Tuck is right, Tuck is _always _right. He shoots Tuck a weak smile and Tuck grins back easily, "Come on, Robin. Come celebrate, tomorrow we'll have a lot of work to do, besides I think Much might die of anxiety if you don't come and join us soon."

As he stands he extends a hand. "Come on, Robin," he says again. "For Much."

Robin smiles, takes his hand. "For Much," he agrees.

* * *

Archer stays with them for almost a week. Robin can see him building up to it, the boy looks like he's crawling out of his skin. He helps them rebuild the upper town in Nottingham though Prince John's men turn up after a few days and Robin and his gang head back to the forest. Business as usual. They rob a few of Prince John's men, and they give Allan a proper funeral. Its easy, slipping back in to it even if the camp is a little too quiet, a little too empty.

He catches Archer leaving in the middle of the night, grabs him by the arm and leads him away from the camp where the others are sleeping. "What the _hell_?" He spits, eyes narrowed.

Archer's eyes are wide and shiny in the dark, "I just can't stay here Robin, alright? I _can't_."

"Why not?" He demands.

"It's not _me, _okay? I'm trying, right? But it just _isn't._ I don't like staying in one place too long and all I keep thinking about is that if this is happening here what about other towns? Like York? What about the people there? I don't deserve to be here Robin, I'm not a hero."

"You're my _brother._"

"I got Guy killed. I told Isabella about the tunnel. This is something I _need _to do, Robin. I'll come back, I promise."

In the end Robin lets him go, he's fairly sure he'll never see Archer again and he really has no idea how it makes him feel. He knows Archer will be okay though, hopes he's made his little brother a better person. His father would understand, he thinks.

The next week they meet (rob) a nobleman who's travelled to Nottingham from York. He sighs when Robin and his gang ambush him, "_Again_? You already took ten percent on the road from York!"

Kate catches his eye and smiles, "Archer?" She mouths.

Robin grins.

* * *

When Guy wakes up he's sure he's dead.

He can't breathe and his head is pounding and he's cold and he's hot and god, he _hurts._ He gasps and he splutters and he thinks he can hear voices somewhere above him - laughing, whispering,

There's a hand on his forehead.

It slides down and twists in his hair, _yanks._

He thinks he might yelp.

Someone laughs.

_No. _It can't be _him. _

It can't be.

Robin would have killed him.

Maybe he is dead. Maybe this hell.

_He thought he was _free.

"Stop whining, Gisborne and open your eyes." Vaisey says


	2. Chapter 2

When Vaisey was a little boy someone told him that there was something broken inside him. Vaisey knew. His sister was the same, he had her, and his parents had enough money to make the nasty rumours go away. So maybe Vaisey likes hearing people scream, there are worse hobbies to have. Like stealing from the rich.

Vaisey will never understand that.

His lip curls when he thinks about Hood. Hood who stole from him, mocked him, ruined his careful thought out plans (he'd spent _years _on them! Years!) and then Hood went and tried blow him up. _Blow him up._

Oh, he is going to make Hood beg for death ten hundred times over.

But Hood can wait.

He has Gizzy to deal with first.

Traitor. Coward.

It's his fault, really. He shouldn't have put so much faith Gisborne. Guy of someplace that doesn't exist, the leper's son. _Pathetic._ But he was so _pretty. _Oh, Vaisey never touched him before. He made it clear he _could _though and he _loved _the way it made Gisborne's skin crawl.

Now Gisborne is stretched out in front of him, all pale skin and fever bright blue eyes and angry red stitches and _oh, _it's like Christmas and Easter and Hood's execution all at once. Honestly, he's a little surprised Gisborne is still alive (Isabella had been a little over zealous when she shoved that sword into his back) he knew Prince John's physician was good but not _that _good.

There's a muffled sound from somewhere behind him, in the other room, sounds sort of like a sob. It seems Isabella is finally having a crisis of conscience. Vaisey rolls his eyes. _Women._

On the bed Gisborne pitches and murmurs in French, Vaisey shushes him (imagines Gisborne shuddering with revulsion) and grins.

This will be so much _fun._

* * *

It's Much who captures the horseman, with a loud whoop and a triumphant grin. Robin laughs at Much's glee as John holds the man up against a tree with his staff. The man looks rich enough, his horse's coat is glossy, its mane is neat and untangled. He's dressed in clothes of rich fabric and his hands are smooth and un-calloused. The saddle bags hang low. Definitely wealthy.

Prince John's new sheriff is a lot more competent Vaisey though he's no less vile. He's started placing guards on most of the major roads through Sherwood, a lot of the nobles choose to travel the long way round when they hear about him and his merry band. It's harder to ambush them on the open road, a lot of people in the villages were having to go hungry.

Robin opens his mouth for his usual spiel when the horseman speaks.

"I have a message!" He cries. "A message from Archer!"

John glances back to Robin, Robin frowns. It's been two weeks since Archer left and none of them had been expecting to hear from him again. Robin glances to Kate who shrugs, to Tuck who nods, almost imperceptibly.

Robin nods to John, who releases the man and steps back warily.

"What's the message?" Robin asks suspiciously.

The man shudders, "I-I..." He reaches for the bag slung about his shoulder and draws out a tightly coiled piece of parchment. Robin moves forwards and snatches it from the man's hands (smirks a little when he feels the man shaking) he nods to John and Much, "Take ten percent and let him go."

The man gapes, "But-But!" He protests.

"Now, now good sir," Robin grins. "We're letting you off lightly to show our gratitude but there are too many good people going hungry to let you walk away with all that heavy money."

"We'll just relieve you of some of it," Much adds, still grinning.

Robin turns away, unravels the note. Kate comes up beside him, wraps her arms around him and rests her head on his shoulder, "What does it say?"

Robin's brow furrows, "It says he saw Isabella in a village near York." He turns to Tuck, "But that's impossible, right?" It should be impossible. Robin saw the town blow up. There was no way anyone could have survived _that, _not when the entire castle was blown to bits.

Tuck nods, "That explosion was fast, there's little to no chance that anyone could have escaped. Not unless they had an escape route that led them deep under ground, but even then I would think they'd be at risk of cave ins."

"Maybe Archer was wrong," Kate suggests.

But he wouldn't be, would he? Archer wouldn't lie about this and he wouldn't have told them about it unless he were sure. "It's impossible though..." He whispers. _Impossible and _unfair. How come _she _gets to survive but Allan and Gisborne didn't? How come he loses everything and evil still survives? He thinks of Marian's dying act and Allan's dead eyes and Gisborne's stuttered words, he growls.

"Maybe there was a way out we didn't know about?" Tuck says, patting Robin's arm.

"A way out of where?"Much asks, craning his neck to see what the letter says, not that he can read. Robin had promised to teach him when they got back from Palestine the first time but then there had been the whole outlaw thing and it had just got pushed to the back of his mind. Like a lot of things.

Robin snarls and tosses it away, stalking off in to the forest, ignoring Much and Kate's yells.

This isn't fair.

This isn't _fair._

* * *

When he gets back to the camp everyone's sitting, grim faced. "So what do we do about this?" John asks.

"We find her," Robin says firmly. He already knows his gang will protest but there's a fire coiling in his body, the kind of fire that kept him going in Palestine through sand and blood and death. The kind of fire that drove him to try and kill Gisborne for Marian.

"Master..." Much begins but Tuck cuts him off, "Robin, revenge is not our style." He says warningly.

Kate too is protesting, "Oh, Robin can't we just leave it?"

"No," Robin snaps firmly. "No, alright? I'm sick of this, why does she get to survive? Allan didn't. Gisborne didn't! Why does she get to live freely?"

"What do you suggest then?" John mutters, eyeing Robin warily, "Hunting her down and killing her?"

"Killing is _not _our way, Robin." Much interjects. He's fidgeting, Robin hasn't seen him this agitated since the Holy Land.

"It's her fault Allan's dead," Robin snaps. "Don't we owe him this?"

"Allan wouldn't want-" Much starts but he falters. "Maybe he would..."

"Maybe so," John cuts him off. "But we should be _here_, Robin. People rely on us. We cannot just abandon them."

"No," Robin snarls. "Don't you get it? If Isabella survived, Vaisey did too."

"You don't know that, Robin." Tuck interjects.

"I _do, _Tuck!" And he does. He can feel it in his gut, scrabbling around like a rat. "Think about all he's taken from us, don't you want this to be over?"

"Robin," Tuck says quietly, dark eyes boring into his. "What you're taking about is revenge, plain and simple. It is a sin."

"It would be _justice._" Robin snaps. Much for once is silent, glance between him and Tuck, John drops his gaze.

"I agree," Kate says, they all turn towards her, "With Robin. We need to finish this. I mean, they could be up there planning an attack on us, Isabella knows where our camp is."

Robin smiles at her gratefully. "It'd only take a day or two get up there, if we give the villagers extra from our stores then..." He trails off, John is nodding, Kate is smiling, Tuck looks unconvinced and Much is grumbling about giving away their food.

"It would be nice," John says, "To do away with him once and for all. For Allan. And Marian, and Roy."

"Well, I'm not about to let you three go alone," Much mutters.

Tuck sighs. "If there's no convincing you otherwise..."

Robin grins, "Great. It's too dangerous to get the food to the villages now. We'll do it first thing in the morning. Then we move out."

* * *

Later when Kate's curled up against his back she presses her lips to his neck. He's still not sure how he feels about this. This being the fact that Kate is beautiful and strong and clever but he can't help feeling a little disappointed every time he wakes up to blonde rather than dark hair.

"Are you thinking about Gisborne?" She asks.

Robin blinks, rolls to face her. "Why would I be thinking about Gisborne?"

She shrugs sleepily, "Isabella survived, you think Vaisey did too. I just thought...You felt guilty about him."

Robin sighs. "He got run through with a sword, Kate. He was dead when I left him."

Kate hums, "I know but still. You shouldn't feel guilty anyway, one good deed doesn't make him a good man, you know."

_I know, _Robin thinks. He still feels guilty, though.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** sorry this one's so short and choppy! It'll be longer next chapter when things start happening :3

Thanks for the feedback :D

* * *

The road will be long and Robin is tired. He's been tired since the Holy Land, he's been tired since this war with the Sheriff began, he's been tired since the crusades.

It would be easy, he thinks, to just lie here in his beloved Sherwood and just sleep. But he can't. There are too many people who need him.

"Maybe someone should stay here," he suggests, looking over their empty camp. It's a half hearted suggestion, there's only five of them now after all, but he needs to give them the option.

Tuck has managed to acquire them some horses and he smiles across at Robin, "We're with you Robin."

Kate smiles and Much shoots him a fond look while John grumbles as he swings up into his saddle. "For Allan," John says sternly.

Oh, Robin loves them. The lengths they'll go for him.

"What's the plan?" Kate asks, "When we get to York, I mean. Prince John has blamed us for the attack on Nottingham, we won't exactly be low profile."

Robin shakes his head, "We lay low at the inn, meet up with Archer, find Isabella."

"Home by the weekend," John mutters.

"Well at least we'll be sleeping indoors for once," Much says happily. "On nice feather beds."

Robin laughs.

* * *

There's a jackdaw on the windowsill preening his dark feathers. When she was younger she loved to bird watch, mother used to help her draw them in a little bound book father had bought her from London. It burnt up with her home in Locksley. Like everything else.

She never liked jackdaws much but there's nothing much else she can do, she's stuck here for another two weeks. Oh, she could leave, there's nothing stopping her. But she can't.

She can hear Vaisey humming to himself in the other room, at least the screaming has stopped. One month. That was the deal. Vaisey gets Guy for one month, then Isabella has her revenge. It sounded so good when Vaisey had whispered it to her in her room all those weeks ago.

This was the man who had sold her to a sadist to save his own skin, who had burned down their home, killed their parents. He had tortured people, murdered them, destroyed lives for the barest hint of power. He was repulsive, weak, evil. He deserved everything Vaisey did to him.

So why, then, does her skin crawl every time she hears her brother crying out?Why can't she leave?

She hears the clatter of the rickety front door, moves in to the lightly stocked pantry and picks at the stale loaf she finds there. Two of Vaisey's guards are in there and she flashes them a convincing smile. Her brother is in the next room, she's not sure why her feet carry through to it.

"Isabella," Guy gasps when his fevered eyes fall on her, and there's blood in his mouth, over flowing. He's choking. "Isabella," he says again. "Please."

She stares at him. He looks like a ghost, pale and bloody. "P-please, what Guy?" She stammers.

"If you- if you have any love...if you ever did for me, please. Kill me. Kill me." He breaks off, coughing wetly.

And no, this shouldn't be happening. This is all wrong. This isn't what she wanted (maybe it was sometime ago when she was still Lady Thornton) but now? What would mother say?

"Please, Isabella," his eyes flutter. "S'il vous plait, Isabella, tuez-moi, s'il vous plait."

"I can't," she mumbles. "I can't."

* * *

They reach York by evening the next day, the inn is perilously close to the castle but Robin figures its the last place they'll look for them. Not that anyone is looking for them per se. Much is ridiculously happy with his meagre straw mattress and scratchy blanket and even John seems happy when the inn keeper brings up a hot meal for them (though Robin is fairly certain they're all overjoyed not to be eating Much's shaky efforts - Much included.)

"When do we meet Archer?" Tuck asks quietly, the rest of their band is sleeping, Kate's head in Robin's lap.

"Hopefully tomorrow," Robin replies.

Tuck sighs, "What do you plan to do, Robin? When you find Isabella?"

Kill her, Robin thinks, she'd deserve it, but he knows he won't. But Vaisey? He's a whole different story. "I don't know, Tuck." He says eventually. "But she needs to pay for what she's done."

* * *

Archer does meet them the next day, turns up on the windowsill of their room and Robin starts to understand why Marian always looked faintly amused. Archer did look pretty silly crouched out there with a smug grin. He tells them about a house a few miles out of York, had been abandoned until a few weeks ago.

"Want me to come with, brother?" Archer asks.

Robin shakes his head, "This needs to be low key."

Archer nods, "Let me know if you need anything, Robin. Anything, alright?" He presses a piece of parchment into Robin's hand, "Our hideout." He explains.

Robin smiles, "Will do, Robin Hood."

His brother grins and swings himself down to drop gracefully to the street below.

* * *

They find the house easily enough, watch it for a few hours to make sure and Much complains so much that Robin almost sends him back to the inn (which he thinks Much was hoping for anyway.)

Then they see a black clad balding man.

Beside him Much freezes, "Is that...?"

"Looks like you were right, Robin," Tuck says grimly.

John growls and makes to stand up but Robin catches his sleeve, "Wait. We don't know if he's alone. I'm not losing anyone else today."

"Fine," John huffs. "But when we get in there, Robin, him we kill. No last minute plan changes."

Robin nods. "Kate, Much, I want you two outside. Anyone who tries to run you take them down. Tuck, John, you're with me. Vaisey won't be expecting us so there shouldn't be much of a struggle-"

Tuck cuts him off, "Robin, Vaisey works for Prince John, he could have any number of guards in there."

"So be careful then," Robin says, standing. "Come on, let's move."


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **thanks for being so patient~ the angst continues.

warning for Robin being pretty dark but hey, his victim deserved it.

* * *

Kate and Much circle around the little house and Robin has John and Tuck spread out, John goes round the side, Tuck goes round the back. He goes in the front way.

The door isn't locked.

There are two royal guards in the first room, relaxing and chatting amiably, a flagon of ale between them. One of them manages to reach for his sword (knocking the flagon on to the floor where it shatters loudly and Robin winces) Robin cuts him down, his friend barely has time to register what's happening before he too is on the floor bleeding.

(_We do not kill, _Much's voice says in his head.)

Two more guards barrel in from some other room in the house, swords at the ready and Robin grins. He hasn't felt this thirst, this _hunger _for battle since the Holy Land. Somewhere, somewhere deep within him, there's a coil of disgust. He never wanted to be this man again but then again he never wanted to be an outlaw. Life wasn't meant to go like this but it did and for right now this bloodthirsty soldier who cuts mean down with ease is who he needs to be.

He takes them out, leaves them gurgling and moaning on the floor and passes through into a pantry room where Tuck and John have subdued a further four men. "The Sheriff?" he asks, panting.

They both shake their head and Robin silently swears, moving back through the house. There's a door beside the entry to the pantry and Robin tries it, finds it locked and frowns, "John," he calls, spinning but when he turns he's met with an all too familiar grin.

"Well, hullo Hood. I was wondering when you'd find my little hide out," Vaisey purrs.

* * *

It registers somewhere in Isabella's head that something downstairs is amiss. She hears the sound of breaking glass and the harsh clash of metal, the dull thud of bodies hitting the floor. She thinks maybe she should go down, she has a dagger (that Guy gave her years ago, she could use it.)

There's only one person she can think of who'd break in, who'd hunt them down and take out the guards.

_Robin._

She's not on his side anymore, if she ever was (there was a part of her that really did want that farm and those children and that life with him that they both knew they could never have) she knows he'll kill her on sight. Or one of his men will (probably the woman - what was that old saying about hell and scorned women?) So she should probably be fighting _against _them. But she can't defend Vaisey.

She _can't._

She's never had a black and white life. There's never been just _good _and _bad_ but now there are so many shades of gray she can't see any other colour. She's drowning.

It registers somewhere deep within her that Vaisey might kill Guy rather than let Robin save him (if he _can _be saved.)

She thinks maybe she should do something but her legs won't work.

She feels like a child again watching her house burn down with her parents inside.

Her world is ending (maybe it's already ended and this is just the grand finale) and she can't do anything but sit on her bed and hope that Robin has an inch of mercy left in his heart for her.

* * *

"Vaisey," Robin growls.

John and Tuck have emerged from the pantry and flank him on either side, he has this absurd urge to tell them to stand down because this is _his_ fight but that'd be wrong. Vaisey's caused them both suffering in equal measure.

"I'm going to have to ask you to stop right there," Vaisey sniggers. "That's my _special _room. I can't have you _contaminating _it."

Robin catches John's eye, nods to the door but as John moves towards it a throwing dagger thunks in to it heavily. "I said, _no_._" _Vaisey snaps, brandishing a few more daggers.

Robin laughs, "You're outnumbered, Vaisey. Your guards are all _dead, _you really think you can fight us all off? Give up."

Vaisey's eyes are darting between them despite the cool smile on his face, he's panicking, Robin can tell. There's no way out for him this time. No guards, no master-at-arms, no Prince John to hide behind. The daggers lower a fraction. The beast in Robin's stomach purrs.

"Open that door, John," he barks, then he glances back at Vaisey. "Is there anyone else here beside you?"

Vaisey snorts, "There's an old friend of yours upstairs. I assume you'll want to slaughter her as well."

Robin nods to Tuck and the friar heads for the rickety wooden stairs.

"You know," Vaisey says, as John thuds in to the door. "I may have misjudged you. I always thought you were a spineless do-gooder but _this _Robin? _This _Robin I _like._"

The door falls off it's hinges and John disappears in to the room.

Robin's skin crawls. "I'm nothing like you, Vaisey."He spits.

"Robin..." John's unsure voice calls from the room.

"That's what they all say," Vaisey giggles. "But I can see it, Locksley. You _like _the bloodshed. You _like _the killing. You're no better than me."

"_Robin_!" John's voice again, more insistent this time.

Tuck appears at the bottom of the stairs, Isabella trailing after him. "Tuck, John needs you." he says and Tuck nods, heading in to the room with John.

Isabella's eyes are wide and blank, he tosses her a length of rope. "Tie him up." He orders, gesturing with his blade. Isabella moves to obey, her movements are sluggish, as though she's in a dream. Once she's done Robin ties her wrists and shoves them both in to the little pantry, shutting the door firmly before turning in to the now door-less chamber.

Tuck is bent over someone chained by their wrists to a bed frame. The man is naked but for a thin pair of breeches, bloodstained. His skin is pale, a hundred shades of bruised and littered with swirly cuts and whip marks. He's sweating, wracked with fever and murmuring under his breath in a desperate, ragged voice.

Robin moves forwards to see the man's face and feels like the breath has been knocked out of him.

"_Gisborne?" _he breaths.

* * *

Much raises his head slightly when he sees the cottage door open and Tuck emerges. He signals to Kate who emerges from the opposite side of the field and they move forward to meet them and Much is apprehensive because Tuck's expression is grim. Maybe they didn't find Vaisey. Maybe it was just a look alike.

But then John is emerging and he's carrying someone and Much breaks in to a run because if that's Robin then- Much doesn't want to think about that.

When he gets closer he realises that it can't be Robin because the man John's carrying is too long limbed, has too much hair. He recognises that man (and he's supposed to be dead too, well he _looks _dead anyway.)

He reaches Tuck and John and Tuck says, "We need to get away from here. We need to get _him _away from here." he says, gesturing to Gisborne.

"What about-" Much begins and Tuck cuts him off.

"Robin's dealing with Vaisey and Isabella."

_Isabella? _Does no one stay dead these days?

Kate reaches them panting and wide eyed, "What's happening? How's_ he_ here?" she asks, bewildered.

"Robin wants you in there with him," Tuck says. "You're to meet us at the empty cottage a few miles from here."

And Much blinks at that because Archer said that was for _emergencies only _but he looks again at Gisborne and guesses that yes, this qualifies as an emergency.

"Much," Tuck says, "You're with us."

And then they're running again.

* * *

When Kate reaches the cottage she finds Robin standing over Vaisey's body.

His sword is bloody and there's a wild-eyed look in her eyes that scares her more than Prince John's men ever did.

"Robin..." she begins softly and he startles like a wild animal, turns towards her, eyes dark. "_Robin!_" she repeats, trying to keep the fear out of his voice.

He blinks a few times, "Kate." he rasps.

"It's okay," she says, approaching him slowly, hands spread. "It's okay." She reaches him and touches his shoulder gently. He sighs, leans in to the touch. "It's over."

"No," he says grimly. "No, it's not." He indicates a corner of the room and Kate turns to find Isabella Gisborne staring blankly back at her.

* * *

The abandoned cottage Archer told them about is little more than a ruin but it's shelter and Archer must have used it semi-frequently because there are bedrolls and food stores.

John lowers Gisborne on to one of the bedrolls and Tuck's darting about searching for any medical supplies. Much is starting to realise just how serious this might be. "Why's he shaking like that?" he asks, as Tuck shoves a damp cloth in to his hands and directs him to press it against Gisborne's forehead.

"Infection," Tuck replies distractedly. "The wounds." He growls, "This is no good! We need medicines or he's going to die."

"I'll go to town," John says, moving towards the door. "Just tell me what you need."

"Anything antiseptic," Tuck says back. "Much, go into the hills and see if you can find any lavender."

"Lavender?" Much repeats dazedly.

"Yes," Tuck snaps. "Lavender or sage. Go! _Now!_"

Much doesn't need telling twice.


End file.
